Voices In the Horizon
by Victoria Lilly
Summary: Major Character Death. Sad. How will Oliver and Lilly cope when their worlds have been shattered? Review if you want more! Complete! EDITED COMPLETELY!
1. It's Not Your Fault

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Hannah Montana or anything off of Disney.

**Author's Note:** Yeah, aware that I may get completely flamed for this, but I really want opinions. I'm aware the concept maybe a tad weird, but I'm willing ot risk it. Here's a Lollie Fic for those fans out there that need that hope! Hopefully Disney will break out of their Lead/BFF pairing! This is just a demo to see if anyone thinks I should continue! If you like it, please review cuz thats the only way you'll get a 2nd chappy!

**Voices In the Horizon**

_It's Not Your Fault_

The sand had almost completely swallowed her feet. Rain drizzled off in the distance and the water was left an eerie grey. Where had the sun gone? It had refused to come out today. It just wanted to morn with the sky. The sand was soft and golden under her feet. That seemed to be the only comfort she had left on the earth. The water rushed up at her, wetting the hem of her black dress that blew back in the wind, but she didn't care. She didn't care about anything anymore. Maybe the world would end today, but she wouldn't care. Because the fact of the matter was, her world had already ended.

Tears threated to spill over their gates, but some force wouldn't let them. Was there something wrong with her? Was she one of those sociopaths that couldn't feel pain or guilt or sorrow? All she wanted to do was sit down and cry. But something wouldn't let her. It told her that the time wasn't right.

She never owned a black dress. Nor a black _anything_ for that matter. Black showed sadness and loss, and those were things she'd never had to deal with before. Grief. Regret. Guilt. Pain. Sorrow. Misery. Anger. Never had she felt such a powerful flood of emotions wrap themselves around her and squeeze her dry of all she had. They all came rushing at her fast and strong like the waves that now beat the shoreline infront of her.

She'd never had to deal with the loss of a best friend. More than that. A sister, to some degree. She'd never understood what it felt like to lose something so precious. A friendship. A best friend. A life. A life that was wasted on stages and spotlights.

Life had been so simple before. She'd been so naive to think that the world was all a big play toy. Where there was no grief or suffering. A world where time would stand still for her at any given command. But she had been a kid then. Monday she had been a kid. But now, Friday, she was an adult. Or so it felt like it. It felt like the weight of the world was on her shoulders. Innocence was just a word, for she had seen the impact of death. The impact that it had on families, friends, and loved ones. The way it weathered the soul.

The rain off in the distance began to grow nearer. And her beating heart began to shatter more. To know that she was alive when her best friend wasn't there to take one last breath. To know that it should have been _her_ that died. What did it feel like to be alive? To know that when she woke up in the morning, that unfirmilar feeling of loss would still be there. And it would greet her with every sunrise. Every sunset. Everytime the rain fell. And everytime the waves crashed ashore.

Her blonde hair blew freely back in the wind, her eyes, glued to the grey horizon. The horizon was something more than a line. From her spot on the beach, it looked like an ending, but chasing it was impossible, for the horizon only gave the illusion of an ending. The horizon was the place where the sunlight was captured and the waves danced high. The horizon was a thing that, no matter how far you traveled, you could never catch. The horizon was unabtainable to any man, any mere mortal. The horizon held all those who had passed on to somewhere greater than all of this. Lilly wanted that horizon. The forever alluring, forever out of reach horizon. And Lilly wanted Miley back. The forever silenced grave would be the only answer to all her prayers.

She felt someone walking down the beach towards her. She knew it was Oliver. Why couldn't he just leave her alone? Why wouldn't anyone leave her alone to grieve? They all found her wherever she tried to hide. What did they want from her? She had nothing more to give. He stood beside her on the beach, his feet and pant hems sandy from the walk down. His long dark hair blew slightly in the cold breeze. His fists were jammed into his pockets and his black suit matched Lilly's dress.

"Lilly..." he breathed beside her. She knew he wanted to talk. To make her feel better. To make sense of the past few days. But she wanted none of it. She just wanted to stand on this beach forever and let the sand engulf her till she was nothing. She closed her eyes at his voice. Maybe if she wished hard enough, he would just be a trick of the wind. Maybe if she wished hard enough, he would just go away and leave her be. Maybe if she wished hard enough, she would wake up from this nightmare and everything would be right with the world again.

"Lilly...I..." He tried to say something but his words fell short, getting caught in the net of his chapped lips.

"Oliver don't!" Lilly spat. She just wanted him to go away. She didn't want him to see her cry. She opened her eyes and looked at him. His face was drawn up with grief, pale from the lack of sleep. And his eyes were red from keeping back tears. His dark eyes, filled with hurt.

She immediately wished to take back her hash tone. She immediately wanted to hug him and tell him that everything would be alright, but she didn't. She wouldn't let herself be so healing, so forgiving.

Oliver looked at her for awhile until she broke the gaze, turning her attention back to the horizon. He still watch her as she sighed heavily and hugged her arms close to her body. The breeze was uncommonly chilly for the usually hot California weather.

"It should have been me ya know..." Lilly said absently, still staring out towards the ocean, "I should have died. Not Miley..."

"Lilly..."

"No Oliver...don't pretend you don't wish it were you sometimes. Don't think I don't blame myself! That I'm the reason my best friend is gone?" Lilly asked, turning towards him and looking him dead in the eyes for the first time. Anger boiled up inside of her. He didn't know how she felt. And she didn't want him to. Secretly, she was glad that she was the only one to feel this way. It was part of her punishment. She was being punished because she lived.

"Lilly! Stop it!" Oliver shouted, covering his ears and stepping away, "It's not your fault!"

There was a long pause, with nothing but the wind to break the silence. Lilly and Oliver stared at each other for a long time. She wanted to yell at him. Infact, if he was close enough she wish she could slap him good and hard across the face, but she stopped herself. Why was he trying to make everything seem ok? Had he not seen the casket? Had he not been there for the funeral? Was he not informed that Miley was gone, and was never coming back?

Lilly turned around, unable to face her friend any longer. His presence made her body go numb from bottled up sobs. Finally. Tears rolled down her face now. Her throat went dry and she felt as if she might be sick. It was the first time she'd cried since Miley had died. She didn't want Oliver to see her like this. She just wanted to be happy-go-lucky Lilly again. She wrapped her arms tighter around her body. The rain was closer now, bringing the harsh wind that came with it. Lilly shook from the cold and the tears as the rain started to come upon them in a light drizzle.

Suddenly, she felt a warmth over her shoulders and Oliver's jacket wrapped around her. It was a great comfort from the cold rain coming down above them. Oliver stood infront of her with a look of sadness in his eyes. The rain started to leave wet splotches on his white shirt as he looked down at Lilly. She noticed he'd grown a bit taller than her. Not much, but she liked it. It made her feel like he could save her. Even though, she knew it wasn't true, she felt he could save her from the sadness. Her tears now mixed with the pouring rain and her hair was matted against her face, as well as Oliver's.

"It's not your fault..." He whispered as he hugged her tightly. Lilly burried her face into his strong chest and sobbed. "It's not your fault..."


	2. Black Dress

**Author's Note:** I know. I know. I've got to be the worst person in the world. Offically. I know I said that I'd write more to this if I got a good response to it. Well, I got an AMAZING amount of reviews to this (more than i could ever imagine) and I truely am SO sorry for not updating. I got so caught up in life and school and everything else. But I had some free time today and I had the biggest urgue to write something so here it is! It's not my best work, but at least it's a little something for ya'll!

**Chapter 2**

_**Black Dress**_

Blurry lights danced behind her eyelids. Shades of gold and dark shadows and splotches of greenish blue. She knew she was awake, but her body wouldn't let her get up. It made her stay in the sanctum of her warm sheets. There was a reason that she didn't, couldn't get up, but in the confusion of sleep, she couldn't remember. She searched her brain for a reason. She knew there was one. Then it came flooding back to her in a wave of pure shock and heartach. It hit her so hard, she closed her eyes tighter, as though she could truely make the world disappear behind her eyelids. Her sheets suddenly became cold and her body was flooded with goose-bumps.

She could hear the waves outside crash lazily against the beach. Children's voices didn't mix in with them today. It was the off season. No one came to the beach when it was cold. No one but the locals. The breeze outside her window played the windchime that she and Miley had made along time ago. It had been a day like this. One where they had been bored inside all day and needed something to do. They'd found random pieces of colored glass and odd bits of metal that could be put to use. It ended up looking like a frankenstein windchime, but they didn't care. It still made a pretty sound whenever the wind blew and whenever it did, it always reminded her of that day. That day that was like today.

She felt the tears wheld up in her eyes and she let out a long sigh to keep them locked up. She opened her eyes, for she finally found the courage to, and stared up at the ceiling. It looked back at her in a blank stare. She could hear voices downstairs, but she couldn't make out who they were or what they were saying. The house was quiet except for them. Maybe it knew she wanted nothing but peace and quiet.

Footsteps sounded up the stairs and Lilly sighed. She knew who it was. She'd heard those same footsteps come up those same stairs for years and years now, enough to know who it was. So much for peace and quiet.

There was a gentle knock on the door, but he didn't wait for her to answer before sticking his head inside.

"Lils? You awake?" Oliver asked gently, stepping into her room. She rolled over to face him. Lilly nodded softly and sat up as he came to sit down on her bed.

"Your mom said I should wake you," he said to her, still talking softly. Lilly just stared back, lost at what he was saying. She was trying too hard not to cry to answer him. She just nodded that she understood. Why did she feel like crying everytime she saw him?

She tried to concentrate hard on the small figure animal on Oliver's polo shirt. He was saying something, but she couldn't make out what it was. And truthfully, she didn't want to know. Sleep hadn't yet worn off and every inch of her ached. From the inside, out. From soul to mind.

Something on the floor caught her eye and she looked down to figure it. It was her black dress, left in a heep on the floor. How long had it been since she'd worn in? How long had it been left on the floor, untouched? Lilly stared at it for a long time while Oliver waited for her to respond to whatever he had said. How many days had it been since Miley had died? She'd lost count, she realized and tears prickled at her throat like a million tiny needles. Everything began to stop. Her head pounded inside her skull as her eyes focused more and more on the funeral gown. Soon, the black dress was the only thing she could see or feel. She had managed to make everything else fade away. Oliver, the windchime outside, the pictures on her walls, the bed she was in. Everything. Until the silence became too much. Until the silence made her ears ring. And she decided she'd had enough of it. She realized the silence wasn't where her peace was. Her peace wasn't with the sound or the silence. Suddenly, it all came flooding back. It brought her back to reality. She hated it.

Oliver sat there staring at the dress too, and then looked back at her. Lilly figured he knew she wasn't listening, and yet he didn't question her. Why did he have to be so understanding? It made her sick. They'd known each other so long that they could practically read each other's minds, know when the other was walking towards them, sense when the slightest thing was wrong. And what would she do if she ever lost him too? She kept the tears down. What would she do? She made a plan. She'd crawl into a dark hole and stay there, letting everything else move on without her? That's how it seemed. Everything was happening so fast and without her control. All she could do was sit by and watch.

Unknowingly, she let a silent tear roll down her cheek. It had managed to escape the carefully built and solid barrier. Oliver grabbed her face and wiped her tear away with his thumb. He turned her face towards him to look her in the eye. She found that it hurt to look him straight in the eye anymore. She thought maybe he was reading her thoughts. She didn't doubt that he could. Lilly wanted to pull away and hide underneath her covers, but something in her wouldn't let her. It made her listen to what he had to say.

"Come on. Let's go get some coffee from Mama Mocha's ok? We don't have to talk about anything. I just want you out of this house," he said to her, still holding her face. His hands were soft but she could tell he was serious. And Oliver Oken wasn't often serious about anything.

Lilly nodded again and closed her eyes, making the tears stay locked up. She felt his warm hands leave her cold face. And she realized she wanted nothing more than to feel them again. But they were gone. He stood up and headed for the door.

"I'll wait on you downstairs. Come on down when you're ready, 'k?" he told her before he left. Lilly nodded again, her eyes still closed.

She sat there for five minutes at least and let the tears roll freely down her face. She was thankful he didn't mind how long she took. It'd take her two seconds for her to throw on some clothes, but five to cry.

Lilly finally wiped them all away and stood up. At her feet, piled in a lump, was the black dress. She stared down at it questioningly, as though asking permission. Until the something inside her made her step around it, throw on some clothes and go downstairs.

**Author's Note:** Ya'll know what to do! Review it or I stop!


	3. Never the Same

**Author's Note:** This story is based on around their senior year. And thank you so much for all my great reviewers! Keep them coming! Sorry this one and the last one was so short.

**Chapter 3**

_**Never the Same**_

She emerged downstairs in a peacoat, sweater and ripped jeans with stockings underneath. Sure, it wasn't _that_ cold outside...but it was cold for her inside. It would always be cold inside from now on, no matter how much sun was out.

Oliver sat, facing towards the TV, back turned to her as she silently decended down the stairs. She watched him for awhile, making sure she was out of his view. She could see his body move with the rise and fall of his breathing and hear small snickers from him whenever the cartoon on the TV got bopped on the head. No matter how old Oliver Oken got, he still loved his Saturday morning cartoons. And you could tell he'd gotten older. His hair had turned slightly darker and he'd grown much taller. His body very fit since he'd taken up track and swimming. His chest and arms stronger. And his smile more pronounced. Or at least she noticed all these things. To someone else, he might just look like regular Oliver. But he was never, or never would be, regular Oliver to her.

Just then, he whipped around at her in shock. It made Lilly jump back slightly in surprise. How long had she been watching him? She hadn't meant to startle him.

"Lilly! I...Oh my god! I thought...I thought you were...I...you...never mind," Oliver said suddenly jumping up and running a strong hand through his hair as if to brush away bothering thoughts. "Are...are you ready to go?" he didn't meet her gaze, only picked up his coat and began to put it on. She watched him clumisly get his things and head for the door. A look of concern etched itself across her face as she watched him, not moving from her spot at the bottom of the stairs.

"Lils?" he questioned. He had the door opened for her ready to walk out. A sharp breeze invited itself inside. Slowly she made her way over to the door and he followed her out, worry still lay on her face. She didn't take her eyes off him till they got to his car. What was the matter with him?

Oliver got in on the other side and the engine revved, blowing hot air into the car, saving them from the nippy breeze outside. The sound made Lilly's insides crawl and she couldn't figure out why. The simplest things sent her into jitters now. Oliver began to pull out of the driveway, and yet the feeling hadn't gone away. A deep tiggling sensation made its way throughout her body that made her palms start to sweat. She looked quietly over at Oliver to find some comfort in his voice, but it looked as if he wasn't going to say anything. He seemed to still be shaken by something. The atmosphere around the two had changed dramatically since all that had happened recently and she hated it. Lilly hated that they were so close and yet she hated still when they weren't. She tried to take the time to enjoy the needed silence, but silence between Oliver Oken was unbarable.

Suddenly, her world began to shift. The car slowly began to shake underneath her, sending a queasy feeling throughout her body and soul. The engine hummed loudly in her ears, almost too much to stand. Flashbacks of the wreck replayed inside her head over and over. The people whizzing by outside turned into spinning lights. Oliver finally began to speak, but all that came out of his mouth were muffled screams. As Oliver stopped at the stop light she could hear the brakes screech loudly underneath her. The screeching would lead her to her doom. They were the last things she heard before Miley died. They were going to take Oliver now. She opened the door quickly and jumped out. She wasn't going to be there when he died too.

There was a buzzing in her head that made her whole body feel light. Like she was dreaming. Reality slowly came fading back into view and she could hear the frantic calls of Oliver telling her to get back in the car. Asking her what she was doing. What _was_ she doing? She looked around at the people on the street, going about there day to day lives. She quickly whirled around, looking for Oliver, only to find him parking the car and heading towards her himself. She knew she'd been childish. But she couldn't have taken it any longer. Every sound in a car reminded her too much of Miley. That day. The way it was all her fault. Her mind had tricked her into thinking that they were about to crash. She guessed she'd never be the same again. Never.

"Lilly! ...Lilly... Are you ok? What happened?" Oliver asked with concern drowning his voice. He came up to her in an embrace. There she found relief, but only for a moment before he stepped back to look at her. She wanted to explain herself. She wanted to tell him everything. Her heart wanted to spill out to his ears. But her mind or mouth couldn't find the words.

"I'm...I'm sorry...co-could we just walk?" was all that it allowed her. He smiled down at her weakly and wrapped one arm around her shoulders.

"You bet kid," he said, and lead her down the street, weaving through the throng of people.


	4. Silent

**Authors Note:** Baby I'm on a roll...last two sucked majorly so I thought I owed ya'll one good one. Well, I'm not even sure if you could consider this one good but whatever. At least I tried! I really hope you like this and REMEMBER TO REVIEW loves! Thanks!

**Chapter 4**

_**Silent**_

It didn't work. The coffee didn't cure her sadness. Coffee always cured everything. A broken heart, a rainy day, a dull moment. But the one thing that it couldn't do, was bring someone back from the dead. And, although she would never tell a soul this for as long as she lived, she secretly prayed it would. But what was wrong with her? Why was she wishing for childish, fairytale things? Maybe it was the only thing she had left. The only hope in the world, that she had to resort to praying coffee would make it all better. That was one of the reasons she'd come with Oliver in the first place. The small hope of something easing her soul. Looked like she'd have to keep praying.

She was on the beach again. Coming here was almost an everyday thing now. Sometimes she would just find herself here, without any memory of coming. It was calling her. She knew that much. She came here to be alone, and yet she secretly wished that she might stumble upon someone else here too. Another soul that was hurting. Another soul that was out there grieving. Another soul feeling the same way. But none ever came. No Another Soul. And this thought made Lilly feel more and more alone. But maybe on another shore, another time, another place, there was one. Someone just like her that was riddled with grief and confusion and heartach. But that was only another thought to keep her going through the day. Another wish to ease the pain.

She hadn't said much since that night. She hadn't had much to say since then. She hadn't said much to the officers after she was released from the hospital and they questioned her. She hadn't said much to her family who tried to comfort her whenever they could. She hadn't even seen the Stewarts since the funeral. She hadn't called. Hadn't explained. She'd been silent. Silent like the sand under her feet. Silent sand against a roaring sea.

She picked up a handfull and let it sift through her pale fingers. The grains blew away with the persitant winds and tossed till they were granted to settle back onto the shore. She picked up another and another until the salt from it had made the skin on her hands tight. She sifted one last handfull until there was only one piece of sand left in her palm. She eyed it for awhile, thinking of all the thousands of millions of billions of that small little grain of sand that filled up the shoreline and the seafloor. She pitied it. It was only one in a whole google. It was nothing more than a rock that had been pounded and pounded and pounded until it was little more than nothing. Until it was only a small fleck in her hand. A small fleck of nothing. Nothing.

"What are you doing?" an amused voice asked from behind her, making her jump from shock. She hurridly looked up to find a big smile and a goofy faced Oliver looking down at her. She threw the grain to the side quickly, hoping he hadn't seen her foolish observation of the Little More Than Nothing in her hand. He plopped down beside her, uninvited, and took a two handed scoop of sand and held it for the wind to blow away.

"Trying to count the sand grains are we? Don't bother. I got to about a million and a half and then lost count. The numbers get to big for my brain," Oliver snickered, as he watched her for a response. She didn't look at him. Only out to the sea.

"Why are you here?" She asked so coldly, it almost shocked she herself and she immediately regretted it. There was a brief clouding of hurt in Olivers eyes as he tried to figure out if she was kidding or not. He couldn't figure out which.

"Fine...I can tell when I'm not wanted," he said in a fake defensive voice and went to stand. Lilly shocked herself again when she lunged forward to grab his hand for him to sit back down.

"No!" She screamed as she pulled him down back beside her.

"Wow, I didn't realized how much you cared!" He said in another joking tone and playful smile appeared on his face.

"I'm...I'm sorry. I just...I didn't mean to cut you off like that..." Lilly looked down at the sand in an ashamed gesture for how she acted. She could see from the cornor of her eye, Oliver's smile fading. She knew if she looked at him she would cry. She couldn't let herself do that again. Lilly also hadn't said much to him since the crash. Just mostly tear stained words in his acts of gentleness and kindness towards her. She was so thankful for him. Why was she trying so hard to push him away?

"Why are you always happy Oliver? Why do you always have that smile on your face?" Lilly asked him ernestly, she could feel the shakiness in her voice. She truthfully wanted to know why couldn't she feel like that, but she knew that wasn't a question he could answer for her. Oliver looked at her gently and she saw a clouding of sadness in his eyes.

"Because," he said, "If you don't smile, you end up crying."

There was a needed silence between the two for a long time, as his words hung in the air. It wasn't a matter of not having anything to say. It was a matter of the two knowing that they both needed the breeze and roar of the sea to calm them.

"You know, I come here to wait," Lilly surprised herself by the honest words coming from her mouth. She had no control over them. Oliver looked at her for the first time since the long silence. They both had been looking towards the horizon.

"For what?" was all that Oliver could get out. It shocked him that she had said something first. He was the one that usually broke the unspoken conversations with words.

Lilly laughed quietly to herself. Was that a laugh? A real, genuine laugh? She'd forgotten there was such a thing.

"I don't know. Someone, something. An answer. Anything. I think I expect to find someone else here. But there's never anyone," She told him, the words flowing truthfully and fully from her mouth.

"Well, you're wrong," He said to her with a smile,"I'm here today."

Lilly smiled quietly out towards the sea. He was right. She'd been waiting for someone, and now, they were finally here. The one thing she'd been longing for was beside her in the form of her best friend. But for some reason, this still didn't ease her pain. It didn't make everything better like she thought it would. What was she supposed to do now?

"Remember when I told you that day of the funeral that it was my fault?" she asked him.

"Lils...don't say that again, it wasn't-"

"No. It was my fault," Lilly cut him off, her voice surprisingly strong and loud, as if this was something that had been a long time coming."I left Lola's wig in the dressing room that night so I went back to get it. When I got back in the limo, Miley scooted down in the spot I was sitting before to make room for me. The car hit the limo right where Miley was sitting, right where I was supposed to be sitting, right where I'd caused her to scoot down to make room for me." She was trying hard not to let the tears fall now. Her words hung fresh in the air, soaking into Oliver. Soaking into the air. Into the sand. The sea.

All she could do was wait for his answer. A comforting answer. One where he'd wrap his strong arms around her and tell her everything would be fine. He'd squeeze her tight and it'd feel like he'd never let her go. Like he'd never leave her, like her other best friend had.

That answer never came.

Oliver stared at her for a long time. His gaze so strong, Lilly had to look away. The gaze hurt her. She could still see him watching her from the cornor of her eye. Finally, she turned back to him, only to see a shocking site. Oliver Oken had tears in his eyes. A look of anger written on his face. It shocked her beyond anything she'd ever seen. Shocked her more than when she'd heard of Miley's death. Shocked her more than seeing the cold, colorless body in the casket. Oliver quickly stood up and treaded his way back up to the boardwalk. His fists jammed deeply into his pockets. His breathing rough from the tears. He'd gone, leaving her to sob to herself. He'd abandoned her, like she had always feared. She wished she'd never told him. She wished she would just wake up from this nightmare. But she was all alone now. She and her silent sobs. Silent like the sand under her feet. Silent sand against the roaring sea.

**Author's Note:** Hated it? Loved it? Don't really care? Well click that little purple button below and win a million dollars!...well not really but you get to leave me a review...what's better than that, huh?


	5. Boston

**Author's Note: **Sorry this has been a long time coming. This is the second to last chapter in this story. I've never completed a whole story before and so its like a HUGE accomplishment for me. I honestly have writers ADD. So, anyway, I knew how I wanted this chapter to go but I wasn't really sure how I was going to take it or build it up. But I got another one of my writing fits where I MUST write SOMETHING or I go crazy. So this is what came from it. Hope you enjoy and remember... 'I heart REVIEWS!'

**Also:** As you read this chapter, it helps set the tone and whole aura if you read it while listening to 'Boston' by Augustana. Just some advice. The song is basically the inspiration of this story and fits freakishly along with it. Although, Lilly doesn't want to literally go to Boston, Boston represents a state of mind or special place.

**Chapter 5**

_**Boston**_

She felt like a criminal. She felt like a man on the run. But when she went outside, when random people saw her, when she passed a police car parked at the doughnut shop, they didn't chase her. No one called after her in fear and authority. No one told her to put her hands where they could see them or put handcuffs on her. She was a prisoner of her own mind. She was the criminal in her eyes. And she knew that as she walked down this street, she should be Miley. This is where Miley should be standing. This is where Miley should be going. This is what Miley should be seeing. But no. It was just her. Just Lilly. What scared her the most was the fact that she had started acting like Miley. She found herself walking down to the Stewart's house and remembering that she lived in the opposite direction. She would look in the mirror and scream in shock, thinking that it was Miley's reflection staring back at her.

She no longer listened to the radio. Hannah Montana Rememberance Marathons were still playing constantly. Hearing her voice was too much to bare. Maybe the fact that she now had to go it all alone was what made her feel like a prisoner. But maybe it satistfied her because she deserved it. She knew she deserved to feel this pain. She was a criminal.

Lilly hadn't been to the grave yet. She guessed it was truley the hardest thing a murder had to do. To see the person they'd killed. To see their grave. To see what horror they had comitted. Seeing the grave was harder than going it alone. Alone without Oliver. The one person she felt she had left in her life. The one who truely knew the loses she'd had. The pain, the suffering, the heartach. And yet, at the same time he only knew the half of it, for not once had she seen him cry. Not yet had she seen a tear roll down his cheeks. It angered her. Maybe he was no better than a murderer for not having grieved his best friend's death. Maybe he was no better than she was. And that thought calmed her again, knowing they were both classified under the same catagory.

But now, she'd suffered enough. Loosing Oliver was like loosing the bit of Miley she had left. The memory they both shared of her was halfed now that she'd lost him. She had to carry half the memory of Miley by herself. All of her suffering had brought her to the graveyard. Strange how such an eerie place brought some such peace. How it brought others such pain.

Birds churped cheerfully in the naked trees above her. The bricked fence surrounding the cemetary was worn and chipped. Just like most of the souls that came to rest here. Unlike some of the ones who's time was cut short. Like Miley's time. Lilly felt new tears rise up. She was tired of crying. But now she was numb to it. She was numb to the tears, but she would never be numb to the loss.

The chilling winds whispered around her, urging her into the graveyard. And with a heavy step, she made her way in, weaving through the tombstones that marked each soul that slept there. Each soul that had a story, and that six feet of dirt didn't tell in full. The ingraving of 'Beloved Mother' 'Dear Friend' 'Loved Son' didn't fully express the love and loss of the families.

The sun glittered through the bare trees, leaving coins of golden light on Lilly's body. It warmed her face. It warmed Miley's face in the alternate universe, Lilly knew. She knew Miley was off somewhere in another world, where everything happened differently, grieving her. She knew somewhere Miley was sad along with her. And that was a comfort she'd never considered. Miley was here with her. Miley was in the same boat. Maybe Miley felt the same pain. Maybe she didn't. Lilly would never know.

The blonde sighed as she neared the grave where she would expect to find flowers and a nice saying about how Miley was a dear, dear friend and daughter. They'd be a fresh clipping of pink flowers, Miley's favorite color. The murderer was about to see her victim. She was about to see her worst nightmare in the peacefullness of a winter time graveyard. The world was so small now, as though she were the only person on the whole planet. In the whole universe.

She stopped short as her eyes spotted Miley's grave. Instead of just nice pink flowers, she saw someone had already beat her to the chase. The sun shone through his dark hair as he kneeled over her gravestone. His eyes shimmering with tears and hurt, yet not to be spilt. The shock of seeing him took her back and she watched him for the longest, both unaware she stood very obviously in the open. She hadn't seen him for a week now. After her confession she thought she'd lost him forever. She thought he'd just dissolved into the air, just like Miley had.

"She told me it was her fault, Miles. She thinks _she_ did this to you. She thinks that she killed you. She blames herself, Miles. I'm afraid I can't get through to her anymore. She's changed, Miley. She's lost. I can't do this by myself. I can't be strong for her anymore. I can't be strong for myself anymore. I thought it was supposed to get easier. It's just getting harder. I've lost you and Lilly. Lilly's not the same. I saw her smile for the first time the other day. And then it was gone. I hadn't seen that smile for months. Everything's changed. _Everything_. It helps to have someone to blame, but there's no one to blame, Miley. And Lilly just decided to make it all her fault. Why, Miles? Couldn't you have just tried to stick around for us? For me? For Lilly? She needs you. She needs you more than she needs me. I wish I'd gone with you that night. Maybe it would have been me instead. Maybe both of you could still be around for each other. You're stronger than me, Miles. It's not fair. You should have thought of her. Now she blames herself. She blames herself cause your not around. I hate it. I hate all of it. She doesn't deserve this. You didn't deserve this. None of us did." Oliver said to the headstone as though he were truely talking to Miley. Tears now poured down his cheeks in a storm. His sobs were loud as the wind carried them towards her, breaking her heart.

Shock hadn't yet worn off. It was brought back on stronger as she heard his words. His heart felt, secretive, soul-baring words. She prayed Miley heard his words from somewhere in heaven or wherever she may be now. This side of Oliver wasn't often shone. This side of Oliver was so rare it seemed almost unreal. Her gaze was glazed over with tears. She let out a quiet sob and saw his attention turn quickly towards her, noticing her for the first time.

"Lilly!" he gasped in shock. She ran to him in a hug, not giving him time to say another word. His strong arms wrapped around her tightly and he held her close. Like he was never letting go. She sobbed on his shoulder and he sobbed on hers. It was the first time she'd seen Oliver Oken cry, and that broke her heart more than not having Miley. His tears made her weak. She felt so guilty for not thinking of how he'd been feeling. She now saw how torn up inside he was. His eyes told the whole story. She could read any thought through his eyes, just like he could do through hers.

She didn't let on that she'd heard his conversation with Miley. That would be a secret he would keep with himself forever (or so she would let him think). And that would be a moment she would charish for as long as she lived. And that satisfied them both.

They held each other for what could have been hours. But let it be hours. Let it be days or weeks or months or years. You could never show too much love for a person. Because they could be out of your life in the blink of an eye. Or a flash of a headlight.

**Please review! There's only one chapter left! Reviews make me write the next chapter better! **


	6. Voices In The Horizon

**Author's Note:** It's been fun. But this is it. The last chapter. Actually theres a last little thing after this, but this is pretty much it. I know it's short. I'll probably add on to it but this is basically the ending. It's been a long time coming. I'm proud I finally finished a story. I hope you liked it!

**Voices In The Horizon**

**Voices In The Horizon**

The wind sent her loose curls in a dance apon her cheeks. Lilly lay limp in her hammock swing, strung between two sturdy palms that had managed to defy the sea. Two palms that had managed to defy the pounding waves and ruthless ocean that so many seemingly invinsible rocks had fallen victim to. Two palms that now held a tired young girl in soul and mind. Sunset was moments away and the sky was burnt a brilliant orange and purple and pink and every color inbetween. The sky behind her view was all ready dark and shadowing.

Lilly's sandy toes stuck out from underneath her warm blanket and her head rested, exhasted, on her pillow she'd taken from her room. It wasn't going to be her room for much longer. Gradution wasn't far away and she'd have to leave her hammock and the saftey of her covers of Malibu to find a new life. Maybe that's what she'd always wanted. Maybe that's what she only told herself she wanted. Maybe she didn't want anything at all.

She'd often come out here to the ocean to sleep. With nothing but the sea and the chilly breeze to sing her to dreamland. She'd sneak down after her mother was deep asleep and pretend she lived out here, with the raw sea and the salty air. Her whole world was defined in this hammock swing. Sitting there, half asleep, half awake, a lot like her life had been so far. Or at least how she'd felt it had been. We're always surprised how death reminds us to live.

The light's last few seagulls were left twittering in the air, painted black against the brilliant sky behind them. A sky no painter could truely capture. A song played distantly on her iPod that she couldn't make out. The music the ocean played was much better. And through all the seagull cries, Jack Johnson's guitar, ocean breeze, and waves crashing, Lilly was able to make out the faintest sound of firmilar footsteps walking down the boardwalk. For a moment, and a moment only, she lost herself and turned to expect Miley. And within the moment of a blink, remembered.

"Hey," Oliver said in a whisper. His voice only managed to her ears throw the breeze. Lilly sat up and turned off Jack Johnson's voice.

"Mind if I join you?" he asked. His hands were jammed in his kahki pockets and his eyes an irritated red from the bother of tears. Lilly scooted over in the hammock as Oliver tumbled in beside her. He smelled of the ocean and rain that Lilly remembered since kindergarten. She breathed him in as she snuggled up close, but not too close. There was a moment of stillness the wind seemed to have granted and it hung lightly around them. Silent conversations followed them wherever they went.

"I...I thought you were Miley at first. I mean, I knew it was you, but my heart just wanted to see her," she confessed to him finally. Her mouth felt relieved from the confession. Oliver was quiet for a long time, and Lilly almost thought he hadn't heard her.

"Sometimes, when I'd see you, I'd always see Miley beside you. Or wonder where she was when you came walking up, and then I realized she wasn't tagging along. She wasn't ever coming. And sometimes, you were Miley. But only for a moment. Funny how we try to make up for all the losses in our lives," he finally said, and Lilly new silent tears were rolling down his cheeks, but she couldn't look at him. Tears prickled at her eyes, too

"You know, I listened to one of her songs the other day. I sat down to listen to only one, and I ended up listening to the whole CD. Cuz when I listened to her, it was if she were there. Like she'd never left. Like she were talking to me and telling me things, like secret references to things I hadn't seen before. Things I didn't know before," He went on, his voice didn't crack. He silently tucked a bud in Lilly's ear and then one in his own. He clicked around on Lilly's iPod and found the catgory he'd been looking for.

"No. Oliver, I can't. I'm not ready. I need more time," Lilly told him, finally facing him. Her hand touched his to stop him. One look in his eyes gave her an unknown strength. One look gained every once of trust she thought she'd lost with him, back. He'd only left her out of anger of her saddness, not anger of her confession. His eyes were his diary.

He looped one strong arm around her shoulders and hugged her tightly to him. He left a soft kiss on her forehead and handed her the iPod.

"It's your call, kid," He whispered quietly in her ear.

Lilly knew that this was the second to last step of her healing. Finally listening to Miley wouldn't completely get rid of the saddness, she would carry that with her for the rest of her life, but it was the last step in her recovery. And she was lucky, she knew. No matter how much she thought she'd lost, she knew that other's in the world who hurt would never get to listen to their loved ones again. Miley's voice was forever taped, recorded, bought, sold, heard, treasured, replayed, and replayed over and replayed again. Her finger loomed over the play button and tears filled her eyes. Tears rolled down her face. And tears blurred her vision. The tears were the last little push she needed to end it all, end it and move along. She pressed the button and Miley's voice exploded in her ears. The firmilar, happy, innocent, fun, Miley that Lilly had always known. She wasn't a cold, lifeless body, motionless, and still. That wasn't Miley, and that never would be. Even after she had died, Miley still had given Lilly the strength she'd needed to carry on. Lilly cried and laughed and cried and laughed. Because if you don't cry, you laugh. And if you don't laugh, you cry. And ever track was different from the next, yet spoke to Lilly all in the same way.

But above the sound in her ears she heard something else. Something that rang out above the clouds. Something that sang in the strands of the dying sunset. Something that rang through to her soul. Something that spoke to her differently than any words could. Did everyone hear it too?

"Do you hear that?" she asked Oliver, clicking the iPod off, Miley's voice fading with it.

"What?" he asked her questioningly.

"Those voices. There are voices. Voices In The Horizon..."


	7. Lights

There's something about darkness that the human race has learned to be scared of. The unknown. The unwillingness to take another step forward, for fear of where that one step might take us. The fear of going it alone in the world, without a candle, a flashlight, a light to guide the way. The unexpected turns and pit falls and obsticles you don't see coming at the time. But there are always people that come along in our lives and pull us out from our darkness. They become our candles, our flashlights, our moonlight to shine down on our path and make everything clearer. To shine light where there once was total darkness. They are the ones that love us without question. They are there in our darkest moments and find a special way to pull us out, no matter how alone we may feel. They are the ones that find a way in, when we shut everyone else out. And its in our darkest hours that who we are and who we will become, are turely exsposed. And the people we love and the ones that love us are truely tested. Their love is put to the test to show us just how important we are to them and the rest of the world. And then we realize that all our darkness could never amount to the light they've brought into our lives. And its then that we are given the strength to take that first step forward, into the darkness. By ourselves, but never alone.

**Closing Author's Note:** I'd just like to take the time to thank all my loyal and amazing amazing amazing reviewers! I owe this story all to yall. I would have never been able to find the inspiration to carry on and finish this if it weren't for everyone's encouraging comments and support on my idea. I at first thought I'd get flamed for killing Miley off and then putting Lilly and Oliver together (that seems to be a very unpopular vote around here I've come to learn). Seemed like a cheap shot to get the two hopefuls together. But I hope everyone learned along the way that this was written purely for the moral of rising above your sorrows and darkness into something beautiful. Kind of like a phoniex analogy. I know it took a long time, but it's finally here. Please come back and revisit this story if you ever feel down or lost or in the mood for a firmilar read. Again, thank you for supporting me and all the beautiful reviews yall left me. It truely means the world!


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